This thing has taken on a life of its own! 😀 I love it but it makes it hard for me to keep up! I’m gonna try addressing a few very good post from memory.
I remember Lincoln briefing Grant and Sherman shortly before Lee surrendered. His exact words, “Let ‘‘em up easy”.
I’m sorta hate defending him, but he knew that most southern states were wrecked by the war. The very best thing to do was to get the southern soldiers home to their families and jobs, and get the stagnant crippled economy moving forward. Reconstruction as it was implemented never did this. Southern states were hamstrung by vindictive policies, on purpose by Stanton and others.
Lincoln also saw the black race as inferior to whites. A lot of current problems force me to agree to a point. Most problems faced by black communities are self inflicted.
My own family tells me I’m a racist. My reply is “no, I’m a realist”.
This is why Lincoln insisted on setting the freed slaves up in a land of their own with guidance in republican principles. I think history bears out that this would have been the best possible outcome.
Now as to the south firing the first shots.
The sole reason or hanging onto Ft Sumter was to control Charleston Harbor. This was necessary to collect the tariffs imposed by northern controlled government. Remember the south recognized these tariffs were restrictive to their economies. They were enacting a duty free trade, which would kill northern shipping.
Lincoln had to collect the tariff. “Why not let the south go in peace?” He was asked. “I can’t.” He said, “Who would pay for the government?”!
He sent in an armed convoy to resupply the garrison. Food only.
But the south recognized that those guns in Sumter would control the harbor.
They fired at the convoy, preventing the resupply. They should have stopped there. Without food the garrison would be forced to withdraw in a few days.
I the meantime, maybe cooler heads would’ve prevailed. Remember, VA, TN, SC and another state I can’t recall right now, had not passed ordinances of Secession, yet.
Lincoln’s call for 75000 militia to put down rebellion forced them to leave the union.
Reon
